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"Individually, we are one drop. Together, we are an ocean..."
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                        ¶ORE¶

Monday came and I unwillingly found myself travelling with my whole family to Abuja that morning. I stared out the window examining the environment and remembering the three and a half words my dad told me last night.

“You’re getting married.”

At first, I actually thought it was a joke. You know, maybe baba wanted to play small but na lie. He wasn’t joking one bit! He was dead serious. His facial expression showed it. I looked at my mom and she looked away, avoiding my gaze.

I didn’t even bother looking in the direction of any of my sisters, because it was useless. They would sly me that very minute.

I got the boldness to challenge him and say no but that was big mistake ‘cause the next thing I knew, his hand, which was incredibly big, connected fiercely with my face.

My incredibly handsome face!

He slapped it hard without even thinking. I held it and looked at him, tears actually threatened to drop but I forced them in. I couldn’t cry and lose my façade in front of them all just like that. I swallowed and left the dining locking myself up in my room.

“Hey, Ore. What are you thinking about?” Aisha’s voice tore me away from my thoughts.

I looked at her, straight-laced, portraying no emotions. “Nothing that should concern you mama,” I said calmly and brought out my phone, not even bothering to look at her facial expression. 

“You know, you can be very proud,” She said.

“Wow, really? Let’s tell this to TVC News,” I deadpanned without looking up from my phone.

“So rude.”

“Thanks so much, mama, I appreciate the compliment.” I rolled my eyes.

“You’re impossible,” she said shaking her head. I saw that from the corner of my eye. And with that, she shut up.

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Arriving Abuja around 10:00pm was something I didn’t like one bit. I mean, my parents were rich, I don’t get why we did not just fly, you know, like use the air for transport. Actually, I do. Mom wanted to enjoy the beauty of nature today of all days.

Currently, we were at the hotel dad had booked and I was dreading coming down because well…I did NOT wanna get married!

“Ore, get down from the car now!” Aisha said, looking at me with a don’t-mess-with-me face. I didn’t care. I sat still and pretended not to hear her overly loud voice.

I don’t actually know what happened to Aisha’s and my relationship as siblings. One day we were very close siblings who’d do anything for each other and the next day…she just became mean, like the others. The reason I talk to her the way I do is because, apart from the fact that she’s mean, she’s just a year older than me.

“Ore, I said you should get down.”

“Aunty, abeg, shut up! I’m not five years old that you can be controlling me anyhow,” I told her calmly. “And if you want to ask me to come down, say it politely, mama.”

Her face hardened and her teeth clenched as she was clearly trying to hold back the anger coursing through her veins. But the next minute it was gone (which shocked me) and an evil smile crept up her lips. “I’m telling dad.” She stated firmly as if it'd make me scared.

If you like tell Donald Trump sef...

Dad, mom and my four other sisters had gone into the hotel long before now and I don’t understand what Aisha was still doing here, threatening to call our dad if I didn’t get down from the car. I rolled my eyes but got out nonetheless, not because I was scared (of course not!) but because, I was tired of listening to Aisha’s freakishly annoying and cow-like voice.

After Aisha locked the car door, I handed my luggage to the driver that drove the others and then walked into the Five Star Hotel− Malibu Hotel & Suites. Wonder why it was named after a place in America. We reached the lobby and approached the lady at the stand.

She was light in complexion, relatively short. She was dressed smartly and looked really young, like she was still a teen or just turned twenty.

“My dad just got in here with my whole family except us, so tell us where the room number is,” Aisha said without thinking and I shook my head at her nonchalance. The lady in question just ignored Aisha and continued to whatever she was.

“Good evening...lady, you look lovely today.” I greeted and she smiled at me. I smiled back.

Someone should comman tell Aunty Aisha to learn how to win people over by being polite which was a charm I had and was irresistible.

“Thanks and good evening. How are you?” She kinda eyed Aisha who hissed and then looked back at me.

“I’m good, lady. How are you? How has work been treating you?” I continued. I was clearly winning this lady over.

“Fine, we thank God. Hmmm, it's been kinda stressful but, I'll survive,” She said, leaned closer to me and I could clearly hear her thick Ibo accent.

“That’s nice. You see, I don’t wanna add to your stress as beautiful ladies like you don't deserve it but my family is already booked in this hotel and I just wanna know where the room is. Can you kindly look it up for me?”

She blushed before she said; “Sure. What’s the name?”

“Jumai,” I answered.

“Okay…Jumai, Jumai.” She typed away on her system and looked up at me again. “206, third floor; It’s a whole suite actually.”

“Thanks lady,” I said with a smile and a wink. I attempted to go when she said:

“Wait. I didn’t get your name. I’m Isla by the way.”

“Ore…Oreoluwa,” I said.

“Nice to meet you, Ore.”

“Likewise, Isla.”

All these while, Aisha had been standing there stunned by my actions and probably felt left out.

“So, your dad is Raji Jumai, who owns or rather owned Power Corp?”

“Yes…but what do you mean by owned?”

“So you didn’t know?”

“Know what exactly?” I raised an eyebrow and leaned closer to her as my curiosity was ignited.

“That your dad has gone ba_”

“Essss, essss, enough. I’ve seen and heard enough. Let’s go Ore.” Aisha cut Isla off and started dragging me up the stairs as the driver also followed behind. I even forgot he was with us.

I yanked my hands from her hold and glared at her before walking past her up the stairs.

What was Isla about to say? I wondered.

Why did she use a past tense to describe my dad’s ownership of Power Corp?

Why did Aisha drag me when she was about to say it?

Whatever it was, something was definitely being hidden from me.

Later that night, after I’d freshened up and had dinner, I opened my phone to see I had a lot of messages on whatsapp; probably my classmates wanting to check up on me.

Being the most popular boy in all of River Brook Academy was no joke. How I managed to climb up that social ladder is something that still surprised me till today.

Getting to the top of the food chain in that school was like winning a gold medal or something. Those who loved you, loved you and those who hated, hated. And some decided to pretend about what they really feel about you.

All in all, it was the same cliché cycle of having ‘Populars’ and ‘outcasts’ in a high/secondary school setting.

But nonetheless, I was loved by every single person at RBA, at least most of them. The teachers, head of staff, school authority, non teaching staff…all of them. And I don’t really know the reason. Maybe it’s just grace or something?

And honestly, I enjoyed it, basked in it's glory. Drowned in it to the fullest most times so I could forget all the stupid family issues I had.

I had to pretend to be perfect since everyone saw me that way.

I relaxed on the sofa and opened the message from my hostel master, surprised that he’d actually message me on whatsapp.

Baba Hostel: Guy, where you been dey na?

I read it again and realized that it could never have been my Hostel Master who typed this, he wasn't that fresh; it was probably Jeremy or one of the other guys that used his phone. Phones were not allowed in the hostel. Guess baba finally learnt how to relate with youngsters.

Me: Jeremy, I sabi say na you. Baba for hostel no fit type this kind thing.

The message showed two marks, meaning it had been delivered but not seen so I closed his DM and opened other ones. Most of them were group chats, my classmates talking about what SSS3 felt like, yabbing each other and stuffs. Then something caught my eye.

+234810xxxxxxx: Does anyone know why Ore Jumai, the head boy was not in school?

I swiped through the rest of the message and tried to sink in what I just saw. Me? Head boy?

Oh My Freaking Daze! I saw this coming but... I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR THIS! WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?

As I was panicking, my phone beeped and another message entered. It was from Chidera Odikanwa, my…girlfriend? Yeah, let’s call it that. No, no, you guys should not look at me like that. I am not a player.

It started as a joke. She called me boo most of the time and I called her bae too, being my very flirty self and that was how she took it seriously, thinking I liked her.

Chidera was a very nice girl, pretty, smart, nice hair and all but…man, she was short and not exactly my type. But I didn’t want to break her heart so I continued in the fake relationship−which to her was real.

Chi Bae: Hey boo, what’s up? You weren’t in school today, why?

Me: Baeeeeee! I missed youuuuu.

Okay I wasn’t lying, I did miss her. She was a cool girl.

Chi Bae: Me too, love. Why didn’t our new head boy show up na?

Me: First of all, don’t call me Head Boy. Second, I won’t be in school for two weeks jare. Dad and mom decided that we needed to go on a late vacation. Just keep me updated okay?

I didn’t wanna lie but I did. Which girl will hear that her boyfriend was about to get married and be happy?

On the contrary though, it wasn’t a complete lie because mom and dad said we were gonna visit the famous Zuma Rock.

Chi Bae: Kk, just take care of yourself. It’s getting late and I wanna sleep, school’s tomorrow and oh, Mrs. Obeng gave you a new seatmate this time around so we aren’t seatmates anymore. I don’t know who she is though.

Me: Oh…okay.

Chi Bae: I’m already yawning sef. Goodnight and dream of me. I love you.

Me: Of course you know I always do. I love you too.XXX

With that, I closed her dm, feeling good at how amazing she was and feeling bad because I could not love her the way she did, me.

To be honest, I only saw her as a friend. I never really had time to sit down and really like a girl not to talk of love sef.

But who knows what might happen this year? Even though I’m supposedly gonna be getting married (which I have to escape from but don’t know how) I wanna know what it really feels like to love someone for real.

“Ore, dad said you should get some sleep now ‘cause tomorrow, we’d be visiting she and her parents to discuss your introduction, o! Better sleep now!” Came Aisha’s annoying voice from behind the door.

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever mama.”
With that, I sunk myself in the comfy duvet and drifted off to sleep.

Hey guys!

Howdy do?

So tell me, what do you think about Aisha?

Chidera and Ore's relationship...or situation-ship?😂 Do you think he's a player?

And what do you think is being hidden from him?

All in all, fill me in on your thoughts about this chap.

And I wanna say a big thank you to those who vote and comment and also those that added my book to their reading lists. Like seriously, it means a whole lot to me. God bless you!

~Ife😍✌️